The "missed opportunities" collect all thread

[DJ Force]

So, we all love MOTUC, more or less And for me, I´m generally very pleased with the decissions made in regards to execution of a design to the finished figure. However, here and there are some "missed opportunities" I can´t help but notice.
Let´s collect all of them here - and I´m certain what is a missed opportunity for some, it´s not at all for others.


Mekaneck: A totally missed opportunity is for the neck pieces to be able to stack. From what I remember, this has been suggested by fans from the very beginning - to make one neck-piece and just put 3 or 4 (or even more) parts in the box. It´s cool that we´ll be getting two different sized pieces, but to me this is a totally missed opportunity. Especially since more neck pieces could have been added to basically every next Weapons Pak. Instant success, but missed opportunity.

Dragon Blaster Skeletor: Okay, so Mattel is advertising the snap-on feature of the dragon -but other than helping to fit everything in the blister better, this doesn´t really make any sense. The dragon cannot sit or stand on it´s own and he´s not articulated except of the head. So why detach him at all? If a new and articulated dragon will be offered somewhere down the road, that´s fine. So we can remove DB Skelis dragon from his back and replace it by the fully articulated dragon next to him. But until such a new toy is not announced, the impossibility to display the dragon on its own is another missed opportunity here.

[Wulff]

Vykron: Making him one character in the bio. I think a lot more people would have been compelled to buy 3 sets to display all 3 versions if they have made each version a unique character. So missed opportunity for better sales here.

[Snake Hunter]

- Paint apps in Stinkor Weapons
- 6th snake in King Hiss snake form
- Sword Holster in Prince Adam

- Lost Weapons: Draego Man, Horde Prime
- Lost 2nd heads: Zodak, Snout Spout, Buzz Off, Grizzlor

[Berserker79]

MAA 200x sword:
We got a cartoon accurate version in the Weapons Pak, why don't make Duncan's sword orange for Faker?

Roboto:
Why not make both hands detachable? It would be fun to give him 2 attachments or even 2 of the same due motivating customers to buy twice the figure.

Zodak: The staff in comparison to the 200x version is lame, it was a new mold, why don't make it accurate?

SMAA:
I would have used He-Ro's left foot, it's more mechanic and would make him look more accurate.

Weapons Paks:
So much useless weapons and so much missed opportunities! How many fans use the grey Moss Man mace, the brown Beast Man gear or the pink Zodac stuff? Why decide to produce those odd colors? We could have more logical stuff like Randor's spear, black Roboto parts for Trap Jaw or the orange Faker weapons.

[DJ Force]

- Paint apps in Stinkor Weapons
- Sword Holster in Prince Adam

- Lost Weapons: Draego Man, Horde Prime
- Lost 2nd heads: Zodak, Snout Spout, Buzz Off, Grizzlor

These are not really missed opportunities, but sacrifices due to costs. And in the case of the sword holster just a terrible error


I might not have been too specific about what I was looking for in this thread. A missed opportunity here is a production design decission. Something that was executed without going the extra mile and thinking about it a little further.
Robotos left hand is a very good example right there. Why didn´t they make both hands detachable?

[Grayskull's Heir]

I might not have been too specific about what I was looking for in this thread. A missed opportunity here is a production design decission. Something that was executed without going the extra mile and thinking about it a little further.
Robotos left hand is a very good example right there. Why didn´t they make both hands detachable?

I think the best example is still the Sorceress's horrible wing engineering.

[FAKER II]

Dragon Blaster Skeletor could have come with a snap on belt/tassels sculpted to look more like the vintage toy. With the Whiplash Forearms and the Kobra Khan boots, that would have made Dragon Blaster Skeletor even more like the vintage toy. Plus, that would have created the opportunity to repaint the Skeletor belt and staff both in orange in a future weapons pack to turn Faker into Leo Faker.

[Mad Scientist]

I love Stinkor, and putting aside the reversed forearms, I think using Hordak´s feet would have been better. Also I would like the opened left hand since he is carrying only the shield.
And I agree whith you about Sorceress, it is an awesome figure with horrible shoulders

[TheFallen]

Not making Battleground Teela a completely new character

[Tundra_Torque]

Not making Battleground Teela a completely new character

I agree with this. I have BG Teela next to Vikor and I always think of her as a new character that is aligned with Vikor.

[Flor2099]

I think they missed out on an opportunity to finally give us a good looking snake form for King Hiss.

[Squishy Duck Man]

The lacking articulation on Tytus & Megator. I was surprised they didn't feature ball-joint shoulders like all the other figures in the line. Ankle articulation would have been nice on them as well. At least make them comparable to the Marvel legends Sentinel (or Marvel Universe for that matter)

Also I cannot agree more on Sorceress wing design. Awful, awful choice that ruined that figure for me.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

Definitely King Hsss' snake form

[MegaGearMax]

Not making Battleground Teela a completely new character

I'm actually glad Mattel didn't front and make Battleground Teela a new character. I know many fans know Teela as a redhead, but some of us were collecting MOTU when Teela was blonde and wore two costumes. I'm glad that we have the option of which Teela to use. I'm also glad the the bios aren't overly descriptive so that the character version of your choice could be the character who is mentioned.

I think they missed out on an opportunity to finally give us a good looking snake form for King Hiss.

I know...I guess the vintage snake form is good for the Hardcore 80's Toyline fans, but the snake form doesn't need to be designed as if it has to fit inside of a shell anymore. King Hsss' snake form is a great example of sticking so closely to the vintage design that an opportunity is missed.

[vertigoink]

-Vac Metal on He-Ro as he was originally envisioned with it (and I'm not a fan of vac metal so it must be bad).
-Not using the Vikor ankles on more characters.
-The colors on the Star Sisters.
-Not producing the Battle Ram that they already had finished from the 4H.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm actually glad Mattel didn't front and make Battleground Teela a new character. I know many fans know Teela as a redhead, but some of us were collecting MOTU when Teela was blonde and wore two costumes. I'm glad that we have the option of which Teela to use. I'm also glad the the bios aren't overly descriptive so that the character version of your choice could be the character who is mentioned.

Yeah I don't get the whole BGT should have been a new character thing- she is an established character in the canon that predates the red hair look so why shouldn't she be just as valid as the later red haired iteration? I think if anything it may have been her bio that put a lot of people off.

[MegaGearMax]

-Not producing the Battle Ram that they already had finished from the 4H.

The Battle Ram is definitely a missed opportunity. Mattel could have made a mint on Good and Evil Sky Sleds too.

[fball13z]

ok normally Im not a fan of these topics but for me its

-not doing a proper 30th anniversary sub line

[Eternian Poet]

All of the above and:

Thigh-twist for BG Teela.

Better clips for the shields.

(I didn't buy KH because his snake form was so pathetic.)

[MegaGearMax]

Yeah I don't get the whole BGT should have been a new character thing- she is an established character in the canon that predates the red hair look so why shouldn't she be just as valid as the later red haired iteration? I think if anything it may have been her bio that put a lot of people off.

I think I understand it as some fans don't need a blonde Teela, because the redhaired version is Teela to them. We might see fans make Oo-Larr some other character if he were to come out, since Prince Adam is He-Man. It's a case where the original Pre-Filmation stories butts heads with the more iconic and known standard MOTU storyline.

[shadowfall1976]

Not figuring out that the 2.0 female buck was what should have been done in the first place, that way Teela, Evil Lyn, Adora, She-Ra, BGEL & Goddess could have had waist articulation unhindered by a one piece outfit.

Sorceress....one of my favorite figures, but the wing drums are too big, and the wrong crotch was used, she should have had the shorter crotch and her legs would have been higher in her skirt.

Not figuring out how to make tight joints, especially ankles, and using the new boots sooner.

Making Shadow Weaver a normal production figure, when they could have sold many more than with subs over what the sub figure was supposed to be with Horde Prime....notice this with the amount of people clamoring still for Shadow Weaver vs the fact that Horde Prime is just now....Almost gone 3 days after sale day.....

Not making a weapons pack with all new weapons and armor for those variants of characters that will probably never see a release.

Not making head packs....yes they would sell.

Dragon Blaster Skeletor could have come with a snap on belt/tassels sculpted to look more like the vintage toy. With the Whiplash Forearms and the Kobra Khan boots, that would have made Dragon Blaster Skeletor even more like the vintage toy. Plus, that would have created the opportunity to repaint the Skeletor belt and staff both in orange in a future weapons pack to turn Faker into Leo Faker.

DB Skeletor has the slatted loin cloth, which I prefer, I am getting BA Skeletor, but would have preferred unpainted feet & the Skeletor loin cloth, so I prefer DB SKeletor to his BA alter ego.

But on the same token, the Skeletor belt could have made a Filmation Skeletor an easy custom, plus as you said be used in orange for yet another Faker variant...with accessories mind you, not a whole new figure.

[Eternian Poet]

The 200x Evil-Lyn FAIL!!!

[bianchi5]

To me the biggest of all, is the 30th anniversary line, it could have been so great.
At least we got Draego-man *sigh*

[shadowfall1976]

To me the biggest of all, is the 30th anniversary line, it could have been so great.
At least we got Draego-man *sigh*

Draego-Man is by far the best of the revealed 4....hopefully the last 2 will be decent. Photog is not that bad, just not great, but at least he actually has ties to the Vintage line.

[davidlogan]

Each fail is ranked 1-5 according to the epicness of its fail. 5 Being a full blown epic scale failure.

King Hiss (5) - Should have given us a proper snake form. Probably the single greatest wasted opportunity of the line.

DB Skeletor (4) - Dragon should be able to stand on his own. TG was just talking about how it's cool when characters can include "little buddies" *See Merman Blog. I'd have rather have paid more and waited longer to see this figure done right! This goes for ANY figure in the line! Don't rush them! Wait longer and get it right! For example with BGEL. The 4H said they didn't tool a 200X belt for her because it wouldn't have worked as well on the old female buck....so....duh...don't release the figure! Hold onto it until it can be done correctly!

Vykron (3) - Why only one character here? These three should have been the Fighting Foe Men and been closer to the prototypes. The Fighting Foe Men was the original name for the line! These were the original design for the line! There is logic in what I say!

Stinkor (3) - Needed paint apps on gun, shield, and pack

Hordak (2) - Should have had white crossbow

Weapons pak2 (3) - Should have had white crossbow. This fail ranked higher because Mattel told us it was white and hoped we were colorblind.

Zodac VS GLantern 2 pack (4) - Zodac should have had the gray stripe on his helmet painted.

Man-E-Faces (5) - Should have been 100% cardback colors like the 4H created him. That way he could be repainted toy colors later. Fail from fan and business perspective too!

Star Sisters (5) - Should have been prototype colors. Very few people (if any) prefer the cartoon colors and future repaints of them seem unlikely. Why not simply get them right the first time? Find out what fans want!

And finally - The biggest fail of all. From a Brand Manager who is in almost constant contact with fans, many times what fans want is skimmed over or completely ignored. This line should be for the fans and not just for one person. Isn't there a way that fan input can play more heavily into the line? It can only help Matty's rep and the line as a whole! We're constantly given contradicting answers. Sometimes the fans aren't given what they want because Mattel won't change the 4Hs design. Sometimes the fans aren't given what they want because the 4Hs design WAS changed and Mattel makes the final call. Stop with the backwards logic. Let's be plain with one another. Fan input should be STRONGLY taken into consideration! Stop telling us what we want and try harder to give us what we are telling you, we want. Thanks!

[DVD]

White head/face on Horde Prime as well as including his staff. He would have been perfect then.